Academic related FAQ’s

What is the minimum and maximum number of subject hours that can be registered per class ?

The minimum subject hours that can be registered per semester is 6 hours and the maximum is 21 hours.

What is KIU?

KIU – Knowledge International University is an online university established in 2007 by Sheikh Dr Saad bin Nasr Ash-Shethry (former member of Council of Senior Scholars, KSA).

The university was conceived with the objective of providing a comprehensive education in the field of Islam through well structured degree courses.

The Board of Trustees of KIU consists of some of the leading scholars and educators from around the world. They have been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the University properly achieves its social and academic objectives. Their vast experience and international academic qualifications provides support for KIU’s development and ensures that it becomes and continues to function as reputable institution of higher learning.

The president of the Board is the grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul-Azeez Al Sheikh.

KIU is head-quartered in West Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia although all course offerings provided by the university are entirely online.

What degree courses does KIU provide?

Currently KIU has two departments based on language background.

The department of non-Arabic speakers currently offers a Bachelors degree in Islamic Studies (entirely in English).

The department of Arabic speakers currently offers a Bachelors degree in Sharee’ah and a Bachelors degree in Quranic Studies.

Does KIU teach any degree in English?

The online BA degree in Islamic studies is taught entirely in the English language. It has been developed and structured by some of the senior scholars and leading western Islamic educators.

Who should study at KIU?

The KIU online BA degree in Islamic Studies has been developed and structured for any student wishing to gain a comprehensive education in the field of Islamic Studies. It is suited to both the working professional who is committed to a business or the homemaker who dedicates time to domestic responsibilities.

The course curriculum is universal and therefore applicable to anyone willing to devote time to pursue a structured Islamic Studies degree and increase their knowledge in the religion of Islam. It is ideal for those who do not have the means to study at a conventional university.

What are the benefit of KIU Degree?

The KIU degree provides an excellent opportunity for students to study a complete BA degree course in ISlamic Studies. The Islamic Studies degree is academically well structured with a comprehensive syllabus that covers all the important subjects including:

Aqeedah

Fiqh

Hadeeth

Quranic Studies

Arabic

Islamic History

Applied Islamic Sciences

The diverse modules ensure the students have a well rounded education and are able to comprehend all matters relating to the religion.

Pursuing the Islamic Studies degree programme is a structured form of seeking knowledge. Seeking knowledge is a worthy pursuit deemed to carry great value in the path of worship. Furthermore, applied successfully, the Islamic Studies degree will increase the knowledge of Islam in students and will instill values that will lead them to become morally upstanding citizens who have the ability to contribute positively to their families and the society in general.

Why KIU?

KIU aims to provide the best Islamic studies degree available today. The degree programme has been designed, developed and structured by leading Islamic educators under the supervision of senior scholars like Sheikh Dr Saad Ash-Shethry.

Students will benefit from a degree programme that is academically well structured according to the requirements of the Ministry of Education with a comprehensive syllabus that covers all the important subjects using classical texts such as aqeedah attahaweeyah, luma’atul ‘i’tiqaad and madaarij asSaalikeen.

How does a student attend university classes?

The online BA degree in islamic studies is entirely online based. This means all course modules are taught via the Internet. Class lessons are provided through online videos and reading documents. Live interactive sessions are also held online with the course instructor on a fortnighly basis. Generally the availability of study is such that the students can sit and study the lessons at any time approrpriate for them.

How does the degree programme work?

Please refer to the ‘How it works’ section of the website for a detailed overview of how the degree programme works.

In brief the following points summarise how a student at KIU would study the Online Degree in Islamic Studies

Students login to the student portal to access their course modules

Recorded videos lectures are released here on a weekly basis

Students read through the set text relevant to that particular week

After each recorded lecture, the students sit through a short online multiple choice test

Students also have live sessions with their lecturers typically once every 2 weeks so that students may raise any questions they may have

Students are given one or two assignments within the semester. These are graded by the lecturer and count towards the final mark

The final exams are conducted at the end of the semester in co-ordination with KIU and a student designated exam centre

How long is the Islamic Studies Degree?

The BA in Islamic Studies is a 4 year degree programme comprising 8 semesters. There are 2 semesters in one year. Each semester is around 13 weeks long (3 months).

How many degree modules or subjects are there in a semester?

Each semester comprises between 5 and 6 course modules.

How much study time is required?

Study time varies depending upon the capability of the student but typically the student is expected to allow 2 hours of study a day or 10-15 hours of study a week. This is inclusive of the time required to watch the course videos and read through set text material as well as any assignment work.

What online technology is used?

Knowlege International University has invested heavily in providing the students the best that technology has to offer in order to facilitate a high quality educational experience.

The student portal is powered by moodle an industry standard learning management system. Video recordings of lectures for many courses are recorded in high resolution available for in parts for easy download or to be streamed online.

For the live lecture sessions, KIU uses the industry leading eroom software provided by Elluminate. This tool provides many sophisticated features such as lectures through powerpoint presentations or live video allowing all participants to interact and participate simultaneously.

Can the degree be studied part time?

Yes, the student may choose to study a portion of the modules in a semester. The student may take up to 12 years to complete the degree programme.

Does KIU have accreditation?

KIU is working closely with the Saudi Ministry of Education to gain accreditation with them. Such collaboration will empower the university to leverage the strengths of all national academic institutes to ehance the overall learning mechanism.

The accreditation application is currently under process and insha’Allah will soon be complete.